UNIT 6: DIFFRACTION AND

INTERFERENCE
By : Aisha Al Rifaii

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 1- LIGHT

• Visible light is the type of electromagnetic wave to which our eyes

responds.
• Light obeys the equation : c=fλ,
-where c=3×108 m/s is the speed of light in vacuum, f is the frequency of the
electromagnetic wave in Hz (or s–1), and λ is its wavelength in m.
• The range of visible wavelengths is approximately 380 to 750 nm.
• The speed can be calculated through v= c/n (n: index of refraction of a
medium)
• All waves, light travels in straight lines and acts like a ray when it interacts
with objects several times as large as its wavelength. However, when it
interacts with smaller objects, it displays its wave characteristics
prominently. Interference is the identifying behavior of a wave.
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 1- LIGHT

• Both the ray and wave characteristics of light can be

seen.
• The laser beam emitted by the observatory represents ray
behavior, as it travels in a straight line.
• Passing a pure, one-wavelength beam through vertical
slits with a width close to the wavelength of the beam
reveals the wave character of light. Here we see the
beam spreading out horizontally into a pattern of bright
and dark regions that are caused by systematic
constructive and destructive interference.
• As it is characteristic of wave behavior, interference is
observed for water waves, sound waves, and light waves.
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 1- LIGHT

Huygens’s principle states, “Every point on a wavefront is a source

of wavelets that spread out in the forward direction at the same
speed as the wave itself. The new wavefront is a line tangent to all
of the wavelets.”
Every point on a wavefront acts as a source of tiny spherical
“ wavelets” that spread outward

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 1- LIGHT

• If light passes through smaller openings,

often called slits, you can use Huygens’s
principle to show that light bends as
sound does
• The bending of a wave around the edges
of an opening or an obstacle is called
diffraction.
• Once again, water waves present a
familiar example of a wave phenomenon
that is easy to observe and understand,

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 Photons ( Photoelectric
Particles Effect

Light
Diffraction
Electromagnet
ic wave
Interference
Light is both wave and particles
and that’s called the duality of light
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 2- DIFFRACTION

• Diffraction is a wave characteristic that occurs for all types of waves.

• If diffraction is observed for a phenomenon, it is evidence that the
phenomenon is produced by waves.
• Thus, the horizontal diffraction of the laser beam after it passes through
slits is evidence that light has the properties of a wave.

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 2- DIFFRACTION

Definition:
• When a source of monochromatic light ( light of one- color red, blue, green … ect)
pass through a slit of a width “a” ( a < 1mm)
• When waves travel through a / slit they can spread out from the gap: this is called
diffraction.
• The consequence of diffraction is that the wave can effectively travel around a
corner

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 2- DIFFRACTION

Condition of diffraction
- The effect is only noticed when the gap is of a similar size to the
wavelength of the wave.
- Too large a gap compared to the wavelength, and the waves pass
through without much change

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 3- SINGLE SLIT DIFFRACTION

• A simple diffraction pattern can be observed if

a light source is looked at through a narrow
single slit. The fringe pattern is a series of
alternate bright and dark fringes with each
fringe parallel to the slit
• The central fringe is much brighter than the
others and twice the width CENTRAL BRIGHT
FRINGE
• Experiments shows that the greatest
diffraction is given by a narrower slit and
longer wavelength.
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 3- SINGLE SLIT DIFFRACTION

The central maximum is larger

than those on either side, and
that the intensity decreases
rapidly on either side.
The first bright fringe on either
side of the central bright fringe
is called first order bright fringe

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 3- SINGLE SLIT DIFFRACTION

Bragg’s law : a 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 = 𝒏 𝝀

Where :
• 𝜆: the wavelength in meters
x
• a: the slit width in meters
• n = 1,2,3,4 a D
• D: distance from slit to the screen
Postino of the dark fringes ( black spots) :
𝜆𝐷
𝑥𝐷,𝐹 = 𝑛
𝑎
Width of central bright fringe
𝜆𝐷
𝐿𝐶𝐵𝐹 = 2 13
𝑎
 APPLICATION 1

Microwaves of wavelength 2.8 cm pass through a slit of

4.55cm. What is the angle of the first minimum of
diffraction pattern

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 APPLICATION 2

Visible light of wavelength 550 nm falls on a single slit and produces

its second diffraction minimum at an angle of 45.0° relative to the
incident direction of the light. What is the width of the slit?

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 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

What is the width of a single slit through which 610-nm

orange light passes to form a first diffraction minimum at an
angle of 30.0°?
a.0.863 µm
b.0.704 µm
c.0.610 µm
d.1.22 µm

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 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Sound waves cannot be diffracted

a) Ture
b) False

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 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

A screen is placed 2m away from the lens to obtain the diffraction

pattern in the focal plane of the lens in a single slit diffraction
experiment. What will be the slit width if the first minimum lies 5
mm on either side of the central maximum when plane light
waves of wavelength 4000 Å are incident on the slit?
a) 0.16 mm
b) 0.26 mm
c) 0.36 mm
d) 0.46 mm

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 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

A beam of light of wavelength 600 nm from a distant source

falls on a single slit 1 mm wide and the resulting diffraction
pattern is observed on a screen 2 m away. The distance
between the first dark fringes on either side of the central
bright fringe is
a) 1.2 mm
b) 1.2 cm
c) 2.4 cm
d) 2.4 mm

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 INTERFERENCE

• Interference of light can be done when light waves pass

through two slits.
• For the interference, the source should be:
1) Coherent : relative phase is always the same
2) Monochromatic: involve just a single frequency ( single
wavelength)
3) Synchronized same amplitude
• On the screen, you observe alternating and equidistant
bright ( constructive) and dark ( destructive ) fringes that
are parallel to the slits
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21
 TYPES OF INTERFERENCE

• There are two types of interference:

a) Constructive interference
b) Destructive interference

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 CONSTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE

It is a type of interference where the two interfering waves are displaced

upwards or downwards. Have the same amplitude, going maximum and
minimum at the same time, and in the same direction
Cause an increase in amplitude
Cause bright spots / loud sound

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 DESTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE

It is a type of interference where the two interfering waves are moving

in opposite directions
Cause a decrease in amplitude at that point
Cause decrease ( or even absence) of light ( sound at that point)

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 INTERREFERENCE FRINGES

𝐝𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 = 𝒎 𝝀 , m = 0, ±1,±2 , ±3 Constructive

𝐝𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝜽 = (𝒎 + 𝟏/𝟐) 𝝀 , m = 0, ±1,±2 , ±3 destructive
d is the distance between slits

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